Striped bass are moving south. Get the current rule before they reach your ramp.
The fall striped bass migration tracks south from Cape Cod through the Chesapeake on a water-temperature schedule. Regional timing, the coast-wide 28-to-31-inch slot limit, key state season differences, forage context, and conditions signal for the East Coast fall run.
Fish from the Kennebec, Merrimack, and Cape Cod Bay start clearing their summer grounds by late September as surface water temperatures fall through the 60s Fahrenheit. Schools push through the Elizabeth Islands and into Long Island Sound by early October, staging on baitfish concentrations before running the south shore of Long Island and the New Jersey surf. The Montauk through Barnegat Light corridor reaches its highest fish density around Columbus Day weekend. The main Delaware Bay push follows in the last two weeks of October; schools funnel into the bay mouth and work the shoals before continuing south. Chesapeake Bay sees fish moving through the upper-bay tributaries through October and into November, with the Maryland fall harvest season running September 1 through December 5.
Peanut bunker, the juvenile Atlantic menhaden that school on nearshore ocean beaches from Long Island through the Jersey shore in fall, are the primary attraction. When bunker schools surface inside the bar, stripers follow and the fishing can be fast. Sand eels and spearing (Atlantic silverside) concentrate fish in rips and along inshore structure when water temperatures drop through the high 50s. The forage-fish connection runs deeper than most anglers realize; the Saltwater News explainer on menhaden and the fall feed covers why these baitfish organize the East Coast fall migration.
Striped bass are managed under an ASMFC Interstate Fishery Management Plan, with each Atlantic state writing rules within that framework. The current coast-wide recreational slot is 28 inches to less than 31 inches total length, one fish per person per day. The Atlantic striped bass stock was declared overfished in the 2023 ASMFC benchmark assessment; the current slot protects large female spawners above 31 inches. Federal EEZ waters (beyond the three-nautical-mile state water line) are closed to recreational striped bass retention from New England through the Mid-Atlantic. The ASMFC striped bass page at asmfc.org covers the management framework and current addendum status.
All New England states from Maine through Connecticut follow the 28-to-31-inch slot with one fish per day. New York marine waters (south of the George Washington Bridge) open April 15 and close December 15. New Jersey Atlantic Ocean waters have no closed season for striped bass under state rules; NJ also offers an optional Bonus Program permit for one additional fish in the 24-to-27-inch range, May 15 through December 31. Maryland and Virginia use a different, smaller slot for Chesapeake Bay-origin fish: 19 to 24 inches in Maryland (fall Bay season September 1 through December 5) and 19 to 24 inches in Virginia (Bay fall season October 4 through December 31). Delaware maintains the standard 28-to-31-inch slot in coastal and ocean waters year-round. The full 2026 regulations index for every Atlantic state is at saltwaternews.com/regulations/; each state marine fisheries agency page is the controlling source for in-season emergency changes.
Water temperature is the primary migration signal. When nearshore buoy readings fall through the mid-60s Fahrenheit at inshore New England and mid-Atlantic stations, fish begin moving. NWS marine zone forecasts at marine.weather.gov are the trip-planning starting point for departure windows; this fall has had active back-to-back storm systems compressing the viable windows between them. The Saltwater News Conditions page carries active marine weather advisories, gale warnings, and surf statements by East Coast region.
Non-offset (inline) circle hooks, required in all Atlantic coast states when fishing natural bait for striped bass, run 7/0 to 10/0 for live or cut bunker. Soft plastic jigs, 1 to 3 ounces on a lead head, cover structure work when bait is not showing on the surface. When peanut bunker schools push inside the bar in the surf zone, casting lures and metal jigs let surf anglers intercept the feed from the beach. Product picks and specific rig setups will be in an upcoming Rig Locker entry for this species.
Saltwater News will report ASMFC actions and state-level changes as they are issued, with a link to the controlling source each time. The pre-trip check belongs on your state agency's current page.
On the water: Rules and conditions can change quickly. Confirm current regulations and official marine forecasts for your exact trip.